March 31, 2014

Monthly News - March 2014

The awards ceremony of the 'UIM Environmental Award 2013', sponsored by the Union Internationale Motonautique with the aim of promoting excellence in the innovation, development and application of environmentally friendly technologies, was held on Saturday, 1 March at the Salle des Etoiles of Le Sporting Monte Carlo complex in Monaco. During the evening, Azimut|Benetti was rewarded for its commitment to promoting a culture of environmental safety in the workplace, and in particular for the 'BS OHSAS 18001' certification obtained by the company in December 2013. The Group has always stood out for its innovative approach to safeguarding the environment and occupational safety. The UIM special mention for 'Environmental Benefits' is the crowning of the path that has led the Group to be the first and only shipyard in the world to have achieved the BS OHSAS 18001 certification for its six production sites: Avigliana, Savona, Varazze, Viareggio, Livorno and Fano. Once again, the Azimut|Benetti Group stands out for the value and the aims of its investments, implemented in response to medium and long-term strategic plans to improve the company’s work processes and structures from every standpoint. These wide-ranging strategic plans take up a major challenge: to combine excellent craftsmanship with production techniques controlled by innovative and highly technological processes based on industrial models. All this translates into safe and reliable yachts that retain their value over time.

Bavaria Supports Sunshine4Kids

Bavaria will support this year's sunshine4kids initiative and presents a Bavaria yacht for the cruise with the young people which is available in July. The initiative sunshine4kids, has made its task to give children and young people who are in a difficult life situation some free lessons through sailing. This will aid their zest for life and give some new perspectives. Bavaria will support this initiative this year for the first time and presents a yacht for the planned summer cruise - the so-called “hope fleet”. From the 18th to 27th July the hope fleet sails from Fehmarn to Travemünde. The plan is to start with 100 children and young people on 30 boats. The 125th Anniversary of the Travemünde Week is also on between the 25 – 26th July in Travemünde and there on the big stage will be the band Schandmaul who will perform the sunshine4kids musical.

Benetti Yacht Master 2014

The yearly event for captains of Azimut|Benetti yachts over 100 feet has reached its 14th edition, coming to a successful close. Surrounded by the enchanting Tuscan gardens of the Il Ciocco estate in Lucca, the guests also had plenty of opportunity for recreation and relaxation. This year, as always, the organisers of the highly anticipated Benetti Yacht Master Event treated the more than 150 guests (including 86 captains, experts, members of the press, and sponsors) to three days of intense work, meetings, and workshops with themes centred on yacht and mega yacht management. It was also a great opportunity for socialising, having fun, and getting in touch with nature surrounded by the magnificent Tuscan countryside. Together with Azimut, Benetti, Yachtique and Lusben management, technicians, and sales directors, the captains had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge on situations they handle on a daily basis in both theory and practice. Among the key moments from a professional standpoint was the Iproject Management presentation, the innovative system for monitoring technical anomalies. This specially designed Ipad/Iphone application enables you to send photographs of any damage or problems together with comments directly to the project manager; the application also includes a "construction log". Topics also included the latest information about RINA certification, with a detailed look at the importance of classifications and concrete advice about how to prepare for the changes under way. Finally, after a presentation of the latest Fraser Yachts offerings, a substantial period of time was dedicated to team building, with activities run by crew services and management company, Lesia Group. With the assistance of specialised coaches, participants participated in role plays and explored various strategies for improving crew management, with a special focus on discipline issues. Working in a team is definitely more effective than working individually, and the captains were able to assess and optimise their managerial skills. MTU - the diesel engine manufacturer and the event's main technical sponsor - introduced special offerings and packages for boat owners. Other event partners included: Rina, Naiad Dynamics, Boero, Damco, Home Port Spares, Asea, Team Italia, Opem Sistemi, Lusben, ISS Gmt, and Peninsula Petroleum.

Hodgdon Infuse Largest Hull in USA

Hodgdon Yachts today announced the successful infusion of a 100ft carbon fibre hull mould. The mould to be used for a pre-preg carbon hull is one of the largest single hull infusions ever done in the USA and one of a handful of this scale worldwide. The success of large infused composite parts such as this are increasingly giving designers worldwide the confidence to specify advanced composites over other materials given their many advantages.

Hodgdon Opens Damariscotta Facility

Hodgdon Shipbuilding is pleased to announce the official opening of its operation in Damariscotta, Hodgdon Custom Tenders. After greatly expanding the workforce and presence in East Boothbay and elsewhere on the peninsula, Hodgdon was fortunate to find a facility immediately available in the region. Hodgdon Custom Tenders builds custom and semi-custom tenders for the Superyacht market. The tenders which currently range in size from 8.5 meters to 12.0 meters are typically housed aboard large(250 ft and over) motoryachts made by some of the most famous shipyards in the world. The elegance and craftsmanship these tenders represent is a tribute to the high standard of quality maintained by Hodgdon and the excellent skills of our Maine based workforce.

Jarrett Bay Aquires Ultra Modern Repair Facility

Jarrett Bay Boatworks has added an ultra-modern, 30,000 sq. ft. indoor, heated facility situated on a 2.2 acre site to the list of amenities they offer at their 175-acre Marine Industrial Park. Designed to ccommodate up to two 100-foot vessels side-by-side with a 55′ clearance, this acquisition marks the third parcel recently added to Jarrett Bay’s coffers – for a total of eight buildings covering 36-acres and 125,000 sq. ft. of building space used to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for the full-service offerings by Jarrett Bay and fellow Park affiliates. Further adding to the scale of work that can be done by Jarrett Bay, a multi-directional overhead crane is mounted to the building’s support beams to assist in topside construction, eliminating the need for cumbersome scaffolding. Operated by remote control, the crane can easily and safely pick up & set large sections in place. Now able to work on several large jobs simultaneously, the overhead crane greatly reduces service time, while also increasing efficiency and safety. 112' West Port and 59' Ritchie Howell. Adding to efficiency are the convenience of three dedicated parts departments, prep and spray booths, Bausch American Towers, IMS American Electronics and Crystal Coast Interiors all located within the 30,000 sq. ft. building. Plans are also in the works to add a crew restroom and lounge with TV, internet, work spaces and a workout facility.

Nordhavn New Sales Team Addition

Pacific Asian Enterprises, Inc. is pleased to announce the newest addition to its sales team, Devin Zwick, who will be based out of the Southwest Sales office in Dana Point, CA. A Southern California native who grew up puttering around in small boats, Zwick has spent the majority of the past 12 years working in the marine industry and brings a wealth of world experience and technical skills to his new position selling Nordhavns. As a teen, Zwick worked as a deckhand on various sportfishing boats prior to studying for his Associates Degree in Fire Science. He then hooked up with the owner of a 55-foot Viking as a mechanic, staying with the owner as he upgraded to a 70-foot Queenship and then a 145-foot Westship. The job took him to places all over the globe from the east and west coasts of the U.S., to the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Central America, and a season in the Mediterranean. Following up his job managing the Westport, Zwick founded Delta Yacht Management, where he oversaw the budget and crews of the boats he formerly worked on. At the same time, Zwick was introduced to Nordhavn as captain of an N55, which led to more jobs delivering different Nordhavns, including one trip from the Galapagos to Auckland. Other deliveries took him from Panama to Brazil with stops in the San Blas Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Brazil as well as Uruguay. In his free time, Zwick enjoys fishing and freediving off his 15’ Boston Whaler, doing projects around the house, playing golf, riding motorcycles and exploring new places. PAE staffs seven sales offices around the world including California, Washington, Rhode Island, Florida, England, Australia and Turkey.

Otam Appoints Oceanstyle

With 60 years of experience in powerboating, Otam is proud to announce the appointment of Oceanstyle by Burgess as central agency for the brokerage and promotion of Otam 100 Millennium powerboat. The Otam 100 is the result of the teamwork of architects, designers and yard experts: Umberto Tagliavini for the naval architecture, Alberto Mancini for the exterior design, Achille Salvagni for the interiors. All of the design work has been in close cooperation with the technical and design department at Otam. Over 30 meters in length, Otam 100 represents the finest features of the Italian brand: clean lines, elegant trim and high performance - the perfect synthesis of sophistication and innovation. Manufacturing is carefully set up and despite the high speed and performance, there is a special focus on environmental aspects, particularly on noise. The unit can be classified according to RINA Classification as a Charter Class yacht. One of the innovations of this model is the forward lounge integrated into the superstructure. While maintaining the philosophy of the brand, this model shows a number of new features for the interior layout.

Overmarine Esclusive Party in Miami

For the first time in the brand’s history, Overmarine Group decided to present one of its new models outside the European market and it chose glamorous Miami to do it. The world première of the Mangusta 110, the latest addition to the Maxi Open fleet, was held during the recent Miami Boat Show and to mark the occasion, a party was thrown which offered outstanding unique experiences. The evening, a strictly “invitation only” event, was unforgettable and proved to be a magical experience for the guests: the music of the saxophonist Jon Saxx and the beat of a famous DJ, a mover and shaker on Miami nightlife scene, made the atmosphere special; two Spider models of the McLaren, one blue and one white, greeted guests at the entrance; Italian food and wine, a vodka cocktail created exclusively for the occasion, the “Mangusta Cooler”, and a corner where guests could try cigars, ensured everyone could kick back, relax and socialize; a photo shoot was set up so guests could have fun, too; nothing was left to chance, to ensure an unforgettable experience. The Mangusta 110, under spectacular tone-on-tone light effects, was the undisputed star of the show. And there were no official speeches because, as the CEO of Overmarine Group, Maurizio Balducci, explained “the yacht speaks for itself”.

Overmarine Mangusta Colloborations in Miami

Luxury Living, exclusive retailer for Fendi Casa, which furnished the Mangusta lounge again this year with furniture and sofas from its latest collection and provided cushions and accessories in the onboard saloon; IWC Schaffhausen, renowned Swiss manufacturer of haute horlogerie since 1868, which brought three of its priceless pieces; Douglas Elliman, one of the most important real estate companies in US; The Collection, retailer of the most exclusive and luxurious brands in the car industry, which presented two McLaren 12C Spiders; Pratesi, producer of Italian home linens and luxury sheets for over one hundred years, which staged the guest areas of the yacht; Double Cross, producer of an award-winning vodka and creator of the cocktail served that evening; My Father Cigars, top cigar company which has received a host of international awards and Robb Report, the most authoritative luxury-lifestyle magazine. Each of these partners played an invaluable part in making the event a success. These outstanding partnerships were instrumental in guaranteeing the Mangusta guests emotions, glamour, high quality and a sophisticated welcome.

Overmarine Mangusta New Offices In Istanbul

The new offices of Ultramar, the Overmarine Group sales partner for Turkey, are located in one of the most strategic and exclusive areas of Istanbul, Suzer Plaza. The premises are just a short distance from the famous Suzer Hotel (Ritz Carlton), the most prestigious in the city, and are near the BMW and Rolls Royce showrooms. All this, plus an incredible view over the Bosphorus.

Princess Celebrate Two Centuries

Princess Yachts International have celebrated another landmark achievement the handover of the 100th Princess V39. The Princess V39, the shipyard's entry-level model, made its debut in January 2012 and almost immediately picked up two major industry awards, in Europe and the US. Fitted with twin 330hp Volvo D6 diesels and duoprop sterndrives, the V39 offers 38-knot performance and a luxurious two cabin, four to six berth layout at an unbeatable price. The boat has proved particularly popular with buyers in the UK and Scandinavia, with significant numbers also exported to the US, Japan and Argentina. Earlier this year the team responsible for V Class delivered a landmark 100th Princess V52, another award-winning yacht which was unveiled during the autumn 2011 show season. Available with two or three cabins and a choice of Volvo Penta or Caterpillar diesels, the 36-knot V52's interior size and opulence belies her agile handling. Add to this mix an unbeatably versatile main-deck layout, with triple sliding glass doors opening up the saloon and cockpit, and a large sunroof in the hardtop, and it's easy to see why this is the best selling 50ft sport yacht in the world.

Riviera Celebrates 34 Years

An impressive parade of Riviera boats representing over three decades of Australian boat building, more than 73 individual models and the launching over 5000 luxury cruisers performed a special sail past at the Royal Motor Yacht Club of Broken Bay earlier this month for the inaugural R Marine Riley Pittwater Festival, which is held throughout the month of March by the Royal Motoryacht Club. Riviera 43 Open Flybridge owners Sue and David Rogers were a part of the Riviera Parade and said it was a fantastic experience. Mrs Rogers said boat education was extremely important. Riviera Pittwater dealer, R Marine Riley, is encouraging the whole Sydney northern beaches community to celebrate Pittwater and all that it offers during the month of March at the Pittwater Festival. Together, the Royal Motor Yacht Club of Newport and R Marine Riley will host this community focused event, which aims to bring people together to celebrate a shared passion for watersports and to showcase what Pittwater has to offer. The program of events began on March 1 with the Surf Club Shoot Out, followed by R Marine Riley’s 34 years of Riviera parade of boats on March 2. Since then other events have included the stand up paddle board races, the R Marine Riley Power Boat handling tuition for ladies, SIMRAD Game Fishing Tournament, R Marine Riley safety at sea demonstrations, Riv Kids Fishing Competition, and upcoming events include the Classic Yacht Regatta, Blue Water Navigation Trial, Pittwater Paper Chase and the R Marine Riley Docking competition. This spectacular parade showcased the evolution of Riviera’s design from the very first boat launched in 1980, a 38 Open Flybridge MK I, through to the latest in cutting edge design and technology. Each boat was draped in special Riviera bunting as their owners proudly showcased 34 years of Riviera to mark the opening of the inaugural Pittwater Festival. R Marine Riley CEO Mark Riley said there was no other boating event in Sydney quite like the Pittwater Festival. Royal Motor Yacht Club development manager and event organiser Rob Brown (OAM) said it was the first time they had combined such a cross section of events. This event has received a lot of community support from the Pittwater Council and Surf Life Saving Association – Sydney Northern Branch.

Riviera Launch Joint Training Center

The Chief Executive Officer’s from GCIT (Gold Coast Institute of TAFE)and Riviera Australia joined forces to launch the GCIT Marine Training Centre at the Riviera headquarters in Coomera. GCIT CEO, Aaron Devine and Riviera Australia CEO, Wes Moxey together hand-sawed a plywood banner to mark the official launch of the facility which is a training hub for more than 100 Apprentices studying Marine Mechanical technology and Marine Craft Construction as well as school-based students studying the Certificate I in Boating. Mr Devine said the Institute is incredibly pleased to have such anessential role in Australia’s marine industry. Mr Moxey said Riviera was extremely proud to be the home of the new GCIT Marine Training Centre. First year Riviera boat-building apprentice Nathaniel D’Ambrosia took part in the opening ceremony sharing his experiences as one of the first new apprentices in the program. Minister for Education, Training and Employment, John-Paul Langbroek said the collaboration with GCIT and Riviera would not only provide opportunities for budding apprentices but it would also benefit the wider marine community. Riviera has enjoyed a period of continued growth while training and developing staff to become Australia’s future boat builders in a vibrant and exciting industry.

Riviera 2014 Ultimate Boating Event

Riviera is now preparing for its biggest annual boating event as power boat owners and enthusiasts from around the world unite at the home of Australia’s favourite and most awarded luxury boat builder for the 3rd Riviera Festival of Boating held from May 22 to 25. The Riviera Festival of Boating provides an opportunity for owners and aspiring owners of luxury pleasure craft to come together at Riviera’s 14-hectare, state-of-the-art Coomera facility for four days of boating education and fun-filled social activities. Last year’s registrations were up by more than 50 per cent, which has prompted Riviera to expand the events program with a series of new seminars amongst more than 76 individual educational and social events held over the four days. Riviera’s chairman and owner Rodney Longhurst said the Riviera Festival of Boating was all about encouraging families to acquire the skills, practicalities and knowledge required to truly realise the full enjoyment of boating. Riviera owner William Clise travelled from Seattle in the United States of America to inspect the new 50 Enclosed Flybridge at the 2013 Festival of Boating. The 2014 program will include something for every boating enthusiast with skipper training for men, women and children. The expanded program will include interactive displays, the Technology Showcase on the waterfront and some of the most popular events such as, Riviera factory tours, offshore seamanship with Captain Bob Jones, maintenance tricks of the trade, fishing clinics, electronic navigation, sanitation system maintenance, and anchoring, line work and rafting, to name but a few. Riviera’s red carpet, under cover on-water display will showcase an impressive line-up of brand new models from Riviera and Belize with a retail value of AUD$22 million, including the new 515 SUV, which will make her world premiere at the Festival, and the flagship of the Riviera fleet, the 75 Enclosed Flybridge. Mr Longhurst said that the Festival was the ultimate boating event. The Riviera Festival of Boating offers free entry, free on-site parking and easy access with many owners able to arrive by their own boat at the Festival. A Riviera owners visitor arm will be available and owners can book a berth for a 24-hour period. People are encouraged to register early as places to all seminars and events are limited. Riviera owners will receive guaranteed registration at all events. Riviera owners will have access to the VIP waterfront lounge on the marina and will also offer VIP parking and transport to the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show via ferry to all registered Festival guests.

Sea Ray New L-Class And Infrastructure Improvements

Following the recent successful introduction of a new premium yacht series the L-Class Sea Ray celebrated several infrastructure improvements at its Palm Coast yacht manufacturing facility during a waterfront ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Feb. 28. The centerpiece of the celebration was a new extended water test ramp. Attending the event were several notable Florida state officials, including State Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Hershel Vinyard and District 6 Constituent Services Manager Sue Bower. Sea Ray President Tim Schiek spoke about the significance of the new ramp in relation to the company’s trajectory. The extended water test ramp has already proven a critical addition to the facility. All L650 Fly models must water-delivered, as they cannot be transported by land. The new ramp allows for the movement of up to 150,000 pounds, meaning technicians at the Palm Coast facility can now move boats 50 feet and larger directly from the production line to the water, where quality assurance testing and eventual water delivery take place. Every boat leaving the Palm Coast facility undergoes rigorous quality and specification testing. Sea Ray’s Palm Coast facility is the largest manufacturing employer in Flagler County. Several Florida state delegates recognized Sea Ray’s valuable role and commitment to positive partnership with the community. Among those in attendance were Greg Strong and Jim Maher of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and several members of the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners. In another indicator of the brand’s upward trajectory, Sea Ray recently moved its world headquarters to the landmark First Tennessee Building in downtown Knoxville, joining the Brunswick Boat Group under the same roof. The building is convenient to Sea Ray’s Tellico Lake sport boat manufacturing facility, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in October 2013 and has seen several recent expansions of its own.

Sunreef Continues International Promotion and Development

Last month was a truly intensive time full of exhibitions and promotional events all over the world for Sunreef. It started its international operations in the Gulf region where during the four exclusive events held in: Riyadh (KSA), Doha (Qatar), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Dubai (UAE) presented was the futuristic Sunreef Yachts trimaran concept 210 Power Trimaran. Guests were impressed that this project had been prepared upon the request of a potential client who was looking for an extraordinary multihull and appreciates Sunreef’s strong position as a world leader in custom catamaran-yachts and superyachts design and construction. The Guest of Honour at all of these exclusive presentations was Mr. Lech Walesa the legendary leader of the Polish Solidarity movement, the first democratically elected President of Poland and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. His presence was particularly fitting as Sunreef Yachts is based in the shipyards of the Polish port city of Gdansk, where the Solidarity movement took form. The Guest of Honour at all of these exclusive presentations was Mr. Lech Walesa – the legendary leader of the Polish Solidarity movement, the first democratically elected President of Poland and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. His presence was particularly fitting as Sunreef Yachts is based in the shipyards of the Polish port city of Gdansk, where the Solidarity movement took form. Why is the company strongly exploring the Middle East market in the recent time? After launching offices in Fort Lauderdale, U.S. and Shanghai, China, Sunreef has opened a new sales office in Dubai in Autumn 2013. The 3-month presence of the 70 Sunreef Power DAMRAK II in the Middle East during summer and a high interest of the local buyers in this concept was certainly a trigger for the opening of the new local office.

Tiara Kicks Off Spring 2014 With Open House

Tiara Yachts hosted more than 100 guests at its Bring in the Spring Open House on Sunday, March 16th in their state of the art manufacturing facility located in Holland, MI. This exclusive event welcomed current owners and brand enthusiasts to view Tiara Yachts’ exciting new 50’ Coupe. Tiara Yachts’ factory authorized dealers, SkipperBud’s and Walstrom Marine, were in attendance to lend a hand with plant tours and to provide expert advice on Tiara’s complete model lineup. Guests at the private invitation event enjoyed a personal viewing of the revolutionary new 50’ Coupe, opening remarks from Tom Slikkers, a guest appearance from Leon Slikkers, and the opportunity to meet with Tiara personnel who were on hand to facilitate the factory tours and answer questions. Tiara Yachts was excited to be able to open their doors to customers and fans in the area who have a vested interest in the company and the products they build. The entire plant was open to guests to see the Tiara Yachts manufacturing process and experience first-hand the practices and procedures that set Tiara Yachts apart from the competition.

Viking Speaks on Voice of America

On March 5th Pat Healey was interviewed with Chris Ruisi, host of the radio show "Step Up and Play Big." This was a very special show with great learning opportunities to help one grows his business to new heights. Join Chris and his guest, Patrick Healey, President and CEO of the New Gretna, NJ based Viking Yacht Company - the world's number one sport fishing yacht company. Listen in as Chris and Pat discuss what has made Viking Yachts a 50 year success story through the good times as well as the tough times. Learn the company's history and what has made Viking a great company. Chris and Pat discuss in detail who buys a Viking and why and how the company's laser-like focus on their customers has been the foundation of its success. Viking is a second approaching third generation company and they treat their customers like extended family.

Viking Costa Rica Victory

Perseverance proved to be the best bait for the Viking 50 Team Galati during the second leg of the 2014 Los Suenos Signature Triple Crown Tournament, as they took First Place with 45 sailfish releases over the three-day event topping the 39 boat fleet. During the last day the lead seesawed several times between four boats including the Third Place finisher, High Hook, a Viking 56. But Captain Tony Carrizosa aboard Team Galati led his team to victory with anglers Bob Hixson, Carmine Galati, Drew McDowell, Eric McDowell and Pat Healey. Captain Bob Watson at the helm of the High Hook collected 41 releases with anglers Larry Allison, Jr., Gerry Imperato and Frank Bongiorno in the cockpit.